Squire to the Queen
by AnotherGreyArea
Summary: Star and Marco struggle with their royal workload, Marco rethinks his relationships and a sinister political plot unfolds. My first attempt at anything like this, Be nice. Inevitable Starco.
1. Chapter 1 - Waking up

My first attempt at anything like this, zero writing experience.

Just testing the waters, let me know if you'd be interested in more, advice appreciated.

* * *

Marco Diaz awoke with a start, brushing off the parchment and quill sticking to his face.

He had fallen asleep at his writing desk again, not unusual but always uncomfortable.

With a groan he managed a glace at his wristwatch, he should have been awake an hour ago.

"Euuuggghhhh"

Not for the first time Marco lamented the absence of his earth clock radio. None of the night shift staff were allowed near the Royal chambers leaving Marco to rely on his internal clock to wake him.

After applying some spit to his fringe and a quick change of shirt he was out the door.

Marcos' room was directly opposite Star Butterfly's, Princess, adventurer, heir apparent to the throne, and his best friend. This placed Marco in the center of one of the palaces highest towers, an incredible honor for a _commoner_ such as himself, an honor granted to him as squire of Princess Star.

Squiring for the 'Queen to be' was an entirely unheard-of position and no-one quite knew what it should involve, Star had no armor in need of fitting, no warnicorns to stable and its not as if Marco would take the throne on completion of his training.

Luckily for Marco, nepotism was not a word on Mewni and questioning Star was well outside the paygrade of the palace staff. Marco was generally given free reign to do whatever he wished. Despite this theoretical scope Marcos average day remained pretty mundane. Consisting mainly of planning and assisting Star in her royal duties.

A glorified PA.

Marco shook of the thought.

After a detour through the kitchens to fetch breakfast. Marco gently knocked on Stars door, then after a few seconds silence pulled a bulky keychain from his pouch and unlocked the door.

"Star"

"Mmnnh"

"Star"

"Mmumm"

Star lay face down on her bed in her best formal dress, one boot on, her bun half unwound and tangled.

A half-hearted attempt had been made to pull over a duvet with little success.

Gently placing his hand on her shoulder Marco shook Star awake.

"Good morning your sleepiness"

"Mmmormmmg marmmco" Star managed to mumble, pulling herself into a sitting position.

"Trade negotiations get a bit rowdy last night?" quizzed Marco.

"Mmmm donwanna talk 'boutit" murmured the princess wiping sleep from her eyes.

Star stared at Marco, tilting her head.

"..granted the.. shipment and.. honoring the"

"Huh?"

"will continue.. full confidence of.."

"Star"

"..Upholding mon..monopoly?" Star continued rotating her head another 30 degrees.

"STAR!"

"What?"

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm reading..reading your..face"

Marco swore, wiping his face he found his hand covered in ink.

"Marco, you need a break" said Star, suddenly serious.

"Says you! when was the last time you took a day off? You haven't seen Tom in weeks!"

"mm, ok I'll shut up"

"Not the point Star, well talk about this later"

"Ooh, I got your breakfast" Marco directed Stars attention to her nightstand.

"Cake, bacon and ice-cream, but that's the last of the cake, as of tomorrow you're eating healthy again"

"fanks Marmo mmm the best!" somehow the cake was already in her mouth.

"so what's on the agenda today?" taking another bite.

Marco leafed through his notebook,

"You're holding court all this morning, then formal lunch with the Duke of Adylcorns at his estate followed by a meeting with the merchant's guild and thennn" Marco flipped the page.

"The Coronation Ball"

Star let herself slide back to horizontal, hiding her face behind her pillow in an explosion of cake.

"Marrrcccooooo"

Star risked a peek over the top of her pillow.

"Are you coming with me.."

"Of course, Star, I have a few things to sort out but I'll meet you in court as soon as I can"

"Awww"

"It is my job"


	2. Chapter 2 - Pigeon Fodder

Ended up cutting out a few chunks cause I couldn't figure out how to arrange the words goodly.

I don't think my brain is wired for writing.

Here's a song to set the tone, people seem to do that here.

 _My Girlfriend's Boyfriend - Her Space Holiday_

* * *

King Rivers study was a large hexagonal chamber, its high walls were crowded with books River had almost certainly never read. In addition to the stained-glass windows high above a small fireplace provided a warm flickering light to the room. Not for the first time, Marco questioned the wisdom of the palace architects, in this case for their seeming disregard for fire safety.

Hunched over a large wooden writing desk was the king, his hair was disheveled and crown lopsided. Ever since Queen Moon left Mewni, high commission in tow, River had been left more or less to his own devices. Mostly this involved pining after his wife, aimless wandering and general incompetence. Marco had been serving as damage control to the unsupervised King, trying with limited success to teach the man some basic royal duties. River was fond of Marco, this combined with Marcos patient good-natured temperament made the boy one of the few people capable of getting River to do anything remotely productive. While frustrating at times Marco found he genuinely enjoyed the Kings company and always looked forward to their sessions.

"Marco my boy!" The King jumped out of his seat, height unchanged.

"You've come to ask me something hmmm?" He continued.

"No sir, just our morning meeting, Same as always"

It was the same ritual every morning, Marco could never tell if the King was making some joke known only to him, or if the he really was as absent as he appeared.

"How are those letters going" Marco asked, cautiously optimistic. For the last few days Marco had been tutoring River on the proper procedures for replying to the many official communications from nobles and diplomats.

River gestured to the table with pride.

A stacked pile of metal disks was surrounded by an explosion of red wax and manila envelopes signed off with childish scribbles.

Marco let his face fall into his hands, it was going to be a long day.

* * *

-LATER-

As soon as the huge wooden door swung shut Marco released a massive sigh. Today's session with River had been particularly taxing, and he couldn't wait for a touch of relaxing… he pulled out his notebook… _open court,_ great. After taking a second to collect himself Marco headed down the corridor. Moving with the confident stride of a person with important places to be, he took a left turn, taking his shortcut through the royal rose gardens. In the months since moving in, Marco had become intimately familiar with all the castles quirky yet questionable architecture and felt he knew his way about as well as any Butterfly.

Marco realized he had made a mistake, but it was already too late.

"Yoo-hoo"

Seated on a bench was a woman in a black wide-brimmed hat, attached to the bench with a chain thicker than Marcos leg.

Eclipsa Queen of darkness, traitor, philanderer and infamous user of dark magic, Eclipsa's looks where deceptive. The kindly looking old lady was feeding a flock of pigeons at her feet and appeared content just being outside in the sun.

Marco was not one to take risks however.

 _Just keep your head down Marco, mind your own business._

"Yoo-hoo"

Out of the corner of his eye Marco saw the women wave.

 _Head down, keep walking._

"Coo-eee, young man"

 _Four sixes make twenty four, five sixes…._

Marco felt birdseed impact the back of his head.

"Marco Diaz!, You will listen me when I am talking"

Marco froze mid-step, suddenly he was a child again, his free will melting under Eclipsa's scolding tone.

"Now sit" she patted the empty space next to her.

He sat.

The two sat in silence but for the coo and flutter of the pigeons.

Finally she spoke,

"How's my little Star?"

"Uh, fine"

"Mmm uh-huh"

"Busy I guess"

"Ahhh"

"Its just she's been so distant lately, she hasn't been taking time to just 'Star' ya know?"

"Oh, hmm"

"Everything is different now, I don't even know what am I doing here? I didn't abandon my life on Earth to become a secretary. And Star hasn't even **Acknowledged** what I had to give up, is that just what she has come to expect from people? She will be Queen one day and…"

Marco recoiled,

"Wait a second, are you using dark truth magic on me!?"

"Just the magic of conversation dear"

The two sat in silence again, tension in the air.

Turning her attention back to the birds, Eclipsa spoke her tone suddenly serious.

"Its the strangest thing"

She held out a black gloved hand, one of the pigeons fluttering up to take a perch.

"Some of these pigeons have letters on them"

From a small metal tube on the birds back Eclipsa extracted a roll of parchment.

"Hold this for me would you dear"

Marco did what he was told, taking the scroll from her delicate fingers. Reaching up to the brim of her hat Eclipsa produced an identical looking scroll to the one Marco held, tapping it back into the tube and re-attaching the lid.

After giving the bird a quick but sincere pet, she raised her hand and in a flutter of feather it was gone.

Slightly stunned Marco held out his parchment to her.

"Oh no dear, its for you" her tone returning to that of a sweet old lady.

"Run along now, Star needs you"

Marco was in no mood to argue with the sorceress wasting little time getting up. Just as he turned to leave Eclpisa caught his hand, her glove off exposing the charred skin underneath. Marco felt a sharp stab of pain as the women drove her thumb nail hard into his wrist. With a very un-royal vulgarity Marco pulled his hand away, quickening his pace.

Making a bee-line out of the garden Marco nursed his throbbing hand, next time he would take the long way round.

* * *

Umm, yea thats another page I guess?


End file.
